Cutter head attachment means



June 29, 1965 D. R. LOCKE 3,191,296

CUTTER HEAD ATTACHMENT MEANS 36 Filed Jan. 14, 1963 S I [ml if 7 Z/ .79

INVENTOR. l9 3/ 04 W0 1?. LUCA f A TTOK/VE) United States Patent3,191,296 CUTTER HEAD ATTACHMENT MEANS David R. Locke, Bridgeport, Conn,assignor to Sperry Rand Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Jan. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 251,156 Claims. (Cl. 30-342) Thisinvention relates to new and useful improvements in cutter headattachment means for electric dry shavers.

In electric dry shavers wherein the cutter head is disposed within arecessed portion provided in the casing so that the exposed top surfaceof the cutter head is substantially flush with the exterior surface ofthe casing and where comb rollers are mounted adjacent the opposite sidecutting edges of the cutter head on the opposite faces of the casing,various means have been used to detachably secure the cutter head to thecasing. Since the exposed top surface of the cutter head is flush withthe exterior surface of the casing, the cutter head cannot be readilyremoved from the recessed portion for cleaning or servicing by graspingthe exposed surface thereof with ones hand. -In the past therefore,casing sections such as hair pockets or hinged flap members have beenmounted over or adjacent the cutter head and Which sections had to beremoved or opened to gain access to the cutter head. As an alternativeto hair pocket sections, set screws or the like have been used to holdthe cutter head to the casing or latching mechanisms have been usedwherein the cutter head is partially ejected from the recessed portionby means operable from outside the casing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide novel attachmentmeans for mounting a cutter head within a shaver casing.

Another object is to provide novel attachment means for mounting acutter head within a shaver casing which. also includes means formounting comb rollers adjacent the side cutting edges of the cutterhead.

Another object is to provide novel cutter head attachment means ofrelatively few and simple parts to facilitate the manufactureandassembly of an electric dry shaver.

It is a further object to provide novel means for mounting a cutter headflush with the exterior surface of the casing wherein access to thecutter head may be attained without resorting .to removable hairpockets, flap hinge structure, set screws or ejectable cutter head latchmechanism.

The present invention contemplates a novel cutter head attachment meansfor an electric dry shaver wherein a mounting plate supports at leastone cutter head unit within a recessed portion of a shaver casing andwherein the mounting plate has resilient side plates arranged onopposite sides of the cutter head. Each side plate has portions engagedby a detent projection provided on the side walls of the recessedportion which projections lock the cutter head to the casing. Means arealso provided on the side plates for mounting comb rollers adjacent theside cutting edges of the cutter head. The side plates are movabletoward and away from the Walls of the recessed portion and may be movedclear of the detent projections by pressing the comb roller in thedirection of the cutter head unit whereby the cutter head is readilyremovable from the casing.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention willappear more fully hereinafter from ice FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectionalview taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the electric dry shaver of FIG. 1 with the combrollers removed;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the electric dry shaver of FIG. 1with the cutter head removed from the casing;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cutter head;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one of the clamps which secures thecutter head units to the mounting plate.

Referring now to the drawing for a more detailed description of thepresent invention the upper portion of an electric dry shaver casing isgenerally indicated by the reference character 10 in FIG. 1. Electricdry shaver casing 10 is of the type having a premolded main body or cupsection 11 formed of smooth hard plastic material within which sectionis disposed the usual motor (not shown). A cover section 12 is fittedover the cup section 11 and the peripheral edges of cover section 12engage the peripheral upper edges of cup section 11 as seen in FIG. 1.The cover section 12 is provided with a recessed portion or cavity 14 inwhich is disposed a cutter head generally indicated by the referencecharacter 15. Cover section 12 is secured to the cup portion 11 byscrews 16 (FIGS. 2 and 4) which pass through the bottom wall 17 ofrecessed portion 14 and which screws are threaded into appropriatefittings (not shown) provided in the cup portion 1 1 beneath bottom wall17. It is to be understood however, that the present invention which isto be hereinafter fully described is not limited to the particularelectric dry shaver casing shown and is readily adaptable for use inother type shaver casings. The drawing has been simplified so as to showonly those parts of the shaver casing 10 to illustrate an environmentfor the novel cutter head attachment means.

Cutter head 15 is disposed within recessed portion 14 of cover section12 in such a manner that the upper exterior edges of the opposite endwalls 18 of cover section '12 are substantially flush with the topsurface (-FIG. 1) of the cutter head 15 whereby the cutter head isprotected from possible damage due to mishandling of the shaver.Opposite sidewalls 19 of cover section 12 adjacent recessed portion 14are formed lower than the end walls 18 to expose the longitudinal sidecutting edges of the cutter head 15 at each face of the casing. A combroller 2 is disposed adjacent each side cutting edge of the cutter headat each face of the shaver in a manner to be hereinafter fullydescribed. Angled detent projections 21 are formed on each sidewall 19at the upper edge thereof and which detent projections 21 project towardeach other on opposite sides of the recessed portion 14. Cutter headsupporting seats 23 are also formed at each corner of the recessedportion 14 on the bottom wall 17 to support the cutter head 15 therein.

Cutter head 15, as illustrated, includes two individual elongated cutterhead units 24 which are identical to each other and which units are of awell known construction. The units 24 are disposed in side-by-siderelationship on the rectangular base portion of a sheet metal cutterhead mounting plate 25 which in transverse cross-section, as seen inFIG. 2, and has surfaces inclined toward the middle thereof. Each cutterhead unit 24 includes an inverted U-shaped outer cutter 26 havingopposite sidewall marginal portions rigidly secured to the arms of a U-shaped base spacer 27. An inner cutter 28 of the general type shown anddescribed in US. Patent No. 2,793,430 issued May 28, 1957 to L. C.Carissimi is disposed within each outer cutter 26 and is urged againstthe outer cutter 26 by a leaf spring 29, partially shown in FIGS. 1 and2 with the arms of leaf spring 29 connected to the opposite 3 ends ofthe inner cutter 28. Clamps 30 are arranged at opposite ends of themounting plate 25 and have finger portions 31 engaged over portions ofeach base spacer 27 and on the underside of th'e mounting plate 25 tosecure the cutter head units 24 to the mounting plate. Openings 32 areprovided intermediate the ends of each base spacer 27 in alignment withopenings 33 provided in the mounting plate25. Motor driven oscillatorarms 34 'project through openings 35 in the bottom wall 17 of the coversection 12 and then through registered openings 32 and 33 to engagelooped portions 36 of each leaf spring 29 in a well known manner, asdisclosed in the men- 'tioned patent, to bias the inner cutter 28 intocutting engagement with the outer cutter 26 and which oscillaor arms 34reciprocate the inner cutters 28 upon operation of the motor (notshown). Although the cutter head units 24 have been described in detailit will be readily apparent that the cutter head attachment means to bedescribed is not limited to the particular type cutter head illustratedand described. It is also readily adaptable to a cutter head having oneor more than two cutter units.

Mounting plate 25 which supports the cutter head units 24- as abovedescribed is provided with resilient side plates 37 and 38 respectively,and are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and as'formed integral with the oppositespaced and parallel longitudinal side edges 37a and 38a respectively ofthe rectangular base portion of mounting plate 25. It will be apparenthowever, to those skilled in the art that side plates 37 and 38 need notbe integral with mounting plate 25 but may be attached thereto by anysuitable fastening means. Side plates 37 and 38 extend upwardly andoutwardly (FIG. 2) away from opposite edges 37a and 38a of mountingplate 25 and terminate in latch flanges 39 which latch flanges 39 arebent toward each other in the direction of the cutter head units 24. Earportions 4% are provided at the opposite ends of each side plate andwhich ear portions are bent inwardly at a right angle to the side plateand project upwardly to "approximately the top surface (FIG. 2) of thecutter head 15. An aperture 41 is provided in each ear 40 to receive oneend of a comb roller 20. Comb roller '20 is of hollow construction andhas a corrugated outer surface. Movable pins 42 project from oppositeends of comb roller 20. Each pin 42 is urged outwardly of the roller bya spring 43 and a circular flange 43a is provided on each roller locatedwithin the hollow roller (FIG. 6) to prevent the pin from leaving theroller. Another circular flange 44 is provided on the free end of eachpin 42 and which flange 44 abuts against an adjacent ear portion 40. Acomb roller 29 is mounted on each side plate 37 and 38 between spacedcars 40 by inserting the free end of pin 42 into an aperture 41 of theear and by applying slight pressure in the axial direction of theinserted pin 42 whereby the pin 42 on the opposite end of the combroller may be snapped into the aperture on the adjacent ear 40.

The cutter head 15, as above described, is mounted on the shaver casingby inserting it into the recessed portion 14. The resilient side plates37 and 38 compress inwardly toward each other as the outer surfaces ofeach plate engages a detent projection 21 on the spaced sidewalls 19 ofthe recessed portion 14. Latch flanges 39 snap outwardly and under alongthe angled surface of each detent projection'2l'as the four corners ofthe mounting plate 25 engage seats 23 on the bottom wall 17 of recessedportion 14. Projections 21 engage over flanges 39 of each side plate andthe cutter head is securely detented to the shaver casing withinrecessed portion 14. Cutter head 15 is readily released from therecessed portion 14 by pressing either comb roller in the direction ofits adjacent cutter head unit 24 (as shown on the right in broken linesin FIG. 2) whereby the latch flange 39 of side plate 38 beneath thepressed comb roller 20 is moved inwardlytoward its adjacent cutter headunit and clear ofits detent projection 21. The latch flange 3% on theopposite side plate 38 is at once cammed (as shown in broken lines onthe left in FIG. 2) against and then clear of its detent projectionthereby releasing the cutter head from the recessed portion 14.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the novel cutter head attachmentmeans has many advantages in use. One advantage is that removable hairpocket sections or the like or cutter head ejectment mechanisms forgaining access to the cutter head are eliminated from the casingstructure while casing structure is still provided for protecting thecutter head. An additional advantage is the simplicity of the attachmentmechanism which is formed integrally with the cutter head mounting plateand which also provides means for mounting comb rollers thereon insteadof attaching the comb roller to the casing.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been illustratedand described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that theinvention is not limited thereto. Various changes can be made in thedesign and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, as the same will now be understood by thoseskilled in the art.

What is claimed is: 1. A cutter head attachment means for an electricdry shaver, comprising (a) a casing having exterior wall portionsdefining a recessed portion in said casing,

(b) a cutter head disposed in said recessed portion,

(c) said cutter head having a cutting surface exposed in said recessedportion and bounded by said exterior wall portions,

((1) spaced detent projections on said casing adjacent said recessedportion, and V (e) resilient latch means carried by said cutter headengaged by said spaced detent projections to lock said cutter head tosaid casing,

(f) said latch means having a portion projecting out of said recessedportion,

(g) said projection portion of said latch means being movable underpressure from without said casing to unlock said latch means from saiddetent means to release said cutter head from said recessed portion ofsaid casing.

2. Cutter head attachment means for an electric dry shaver, comprising(a) a casing having a recessed portion formed therein,

(b) a cutter head disposed in said recessed portion,

(c) said cutter head including at least one cutter head unit having aninner and an outer cutter,

(d) a mounting plate having a pair of spaced side edges,

(e) means for securing said cutter head unit to said mounting plate,

(f) a pair of resilient side plates extending from said pair of spacedside edges of said mounting plate,

(g) latch means on said side plates, and

(h) detent means formed on the casing adjacent said recessed portion toengage said latch means to lock said' cutter head to said casing withinsaid recessed portion.

3. The cutter head attachment means of claim 2,

wherein (a) spaced ear projections are provided on each side plate,

(b) a roller comb mounted on and between each pair of said earprojections to lie adjacent a side cutting edge of the cutter head ateach face of the casing, and

(c) said latch means and detent means being disengageahle upon movementof one of said roller combs and its side plate in the direction of theadjacent side cutting edge of the cutter head.

4-. Cutter head attachment means for an electric dry shaver, comprising(a) a casing having a recessed portion formed therein,

wherein,

(b) a cutter head disposed in said recessed portion,

() said cutter head including at least one cutter head unit having aninner and an outer cutter,

(d) a rectangular mounting plate for supporting said at least one cutterhead unit,

(e) a pair of spaced resilient side plates extending from a pair ofspaced and parallel side edges of the rectangular mounting plate,

(f) latch flanges on each of said side plates, and

(g) detent projections on the walls of said recessed portion engagingeach of said latch flanges to lock said cutter head to the casing withinsaid recessed portion,

(h) either of said pair of latch flanges being movable away from itsdetent projection under manual pressure applied thereto whereby theother of said pair of latch flanges is released from its detentprojection.

5. The cutter head attachment means of claim 4,

(a) spaced ear projections are formed on the opposite ends of each sideplate,

(b) a roller comb mounted on and between each pair of spaced earprojections to lie adjacent a side cutting edge of the cutter head, and

(c) either of said latch flanges being disengageable from its detentprojection by movement of the roller comb and its side plate in thedirection of the said adjacent side cutting edge of the cutter head.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,562,104 7/51,Kobler et al. -4392 2,661,531 12/53 Streng 30-416 2,758,370 8/56 Gray eta1. 30-43.92 2,793,430 5/57 Carissimi 30-4392 2,802,261 8/57 Heyek30-4392 2,815,571 12/57 Brentani 30-436 2,844,869 7/58 Kahn 30--43.923,105,298 10/63 Carissimi 30-4332 3,111,754 11/63 Locke 30-416 WILLIAMFELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MY RON C. KRUSE, Examiner.

1. A CUTTER HEAD ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR AN ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER, COMPRISING(A) A CASING HAVING EXTERIOR WALL PORTIONS DEFINING A RECESSED PORTIONIN SAID CASING, (B) A CUTTER HEAD DISPOSED IN SAID RECESSED PORTION, (C)SAID CUTTER HEAD HAVING A CUTTING SURFACE EXPOSED IN SAID RECESSEDPORTION AND BOUNDED BY SAID EXTERIOR WALL PORTIONS, (D) SPACED DETENTPROJECTIONS ON SAID CASING ADJACENT SAID RECESSED PORTION, AND (E)RESILIENT LATCH MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CUTTER HEAD ENGAGED BY SAID SPACEDDETENT PROJECTIONS TO LOCK SAID CUTTER HEAD TO SAID CASING, (F) SAIDLATCH MEANS HAVING A PORTION PROJECTING OUT OF SAID RECESSED PORTION,(G) SAID PROJECTION PORTION OF SAID LATCH MEANS BEING MOVABLE UNDERPRESSURE FROM WITHOUT SAID CASING TO UNLOCK SAID LATCH MEANS FROM SAIDDETENT MEANS TO RELEASE SAID CUTTER HEAD FROM SAID RECESSED PORTION OFSAID CASING.